1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to network optimization and, more particularly, to a system and method for determining the cause of session drops and techniques for optimizing the network to reduce session drops.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless session is created when a remote unit has successfully completed the network entry process. For a WiMAX wireless network, the network entry process includes successful initial ranging, an exchange of basic capabilities authentication, registration, internet protocol (IP) assignment and a dynamic service addition (DSA) with the network. For other wireless networks, the specific exchange of data to create a session may differ, but the principles are the same.
Generally, a session drop occurs when the mobile unit abruptly terminates (or gets terminated) from the serving site due to some unavoidable circumstances. In a WiMAX wireless network, a session drop occurs primarily when a registered mobile unit does not respond to a DEREG-CMD (or never receives one) sent out by the RAS following a period of inactivity. Specifically, all MS initial entries, following by active state, that are not preceded by a successful MSD registration, are considered to be session drops.
What is needed is a technique for analyzing session drops to permit network optimization with the goal of reducing session drops. The present disclosure provides this and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.